Improvement in buckles



TLCSSCS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN STEVENS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, ACHILLE F. MIGEON, AND FRANKLIN FAEREL.

IMPROVEMENT IN BUCKLES.

Specficaiion forming part of Letters Patent No. 4l ,267, dated January 12, 1864.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN STEVENS, of the city and State of New York, have invented, made, and applied to use a certain new and useful Improvement in Buckles for Skates, 8vo.; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the said invention, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making part of this specitication, wherein- Figurel is a section of my buckle with the strap through it. Fig. 2 is a similar section of the buckle detached from the strap. Fig. 3 is a plan of the buckle, and Fig. 4 representsthe buckle-frame as cut out of sheet metal previous to its being bent up into shape.

Similar marks of reference denote the same parts.

Buckles have heretofore been made in which a lever is fitted to press upon the strap in consequence of said lever being stiff and standing diagonally to the buckle-frame5but such levers, in the case of skate-buckles, are apt to press on the foot, and not be comfort-able in use. The tongue of the buckle has also been formed so as to press the strap against the inside of the frame, which, with their straps, is apt to allow them to slip.

The nature of my said invention consists in uniting the tongue to the frame by a pin that is above the strap, so that the tongue becomes a bent lever, the strap attached to the short end thereof causing the longer end to press upon and bind the moving part of the strap to the frame; and I make my buckle of sheet metal, and turn the edge portions up at right angles to form the joint between the frame and tongue,whereby I am able to make said buckle very light and strong4 and occupy but little space.

In the drawings, a is the tongue, which is formed of aplate of sheet metal cutout in the form shown in Fig. 5, with the ears 1 1, that are afterward turned up andA take the side parts, 2 2, of the frame b, which frame b is also cut out of sheet metal in the form shown in Fig. 4 and the sides afterward turned up.

c is the fulcrum pin or joint uniting the parts 1 and 2, and on which the frame and tongue turn.

The length of the tongue a is such that it rests, or nearlyso, upon the cross part of the frame b when the strap is not between them.

d is the strap connected to the part 3 of the tongue a. When the strap is introduced between a and b, it can be pulled up in the ordinary manner to tighten it, and the tension coming ,on the back end of ct at the point 3 causes the front or moving end to impinge upon the strap in consequence of the fulcruin c being above the strap, and then by drawing the strap back under this fulcrum c' a doubleturn is made in the strap, which effectually prevents slipping. The tension on the strap will cause said bends to be sudden. I have shown in Fig. 1 said straps as passed through without being under tension.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. The tongue a, formed as a bent lever by locating the fulcrum c above the strap, so that the tongue a shall clamp the strap,as specified.

2. Forming the buckle tongue or frame of sheet metal bent up and united by the fulcrum or cross pin, as specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my signature this 7th day of November, 1863.

JOHN STEVENS.

W'itnesses:

LEMUEL W. SEEEELL, Tnos. GEO. HAROLD. 

